5 Super Nutritious Recipes Busy Families Can Make Fast

by Sinclair Cares

Family life can be hectic. Between school, work, athletic events, music lessons and more, finding time to eat, let alone eat healthy, is daunting. To help, here are five super nutritious recipes busy families can make fast.

The morning rush to work and school leaves little time for anything other than cold cereal. In the time it takes you to get a bowl, spoon, pour the cereal and milk, and eat every bite, you can make a delicious berry smoothie and sip it down to the last drip.

Nothing says healthy lunch more than a fresh salad. The problem comes when you need to pack lunches for work or school. The solution is this wrap, by myrecipes.com. By wrapping up your veggies and greens in a healthful tortilla or flatbread, your salad becomes portable.

Nothing says after-school snack like freshly cooked quesadillas. However, many parents only go as far as spreading some cheese on a flour tortilla and popping it in the microwave for 30 seconds. While this may win the speed award, it will not win one for healthy calories.

In less than 10 minutes, your children can have a healthy version of the microwave classic that will not only keep their bodies and minds strong, but you might be crowned best cook in the house.

This version is by familycircle.com.

To start, put your skillet on medium heat. Divide evenly 2 cups shredded 4-cheese Mexican-blend cheese, 1 1/2 cups bottled black bean and corn salsa, and 1 medium chopped avocado among eight 8-inch whole-wheat or flour tortillas. Fold the tortillas in half, and add two at a time to the skillet, cooking 60-90 seconds on each side or until lightly browned with the cheese melted.

Once cooked, cut into wedges to serve. If necessary, place on a glass dish inside a 300-degree oven to keep warm until the kiddos come home.

Dinnertime may be the nemesis of busy parents. Not only should dinner be healthy, but hearty and satisfying as well. That’s why there is Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup from foodnetwork.com’s Melissa d'Arabian.

While the title of the recipe has the word “slow” in it, with a little planning, nothing delivers a meal faster than a slow cooker.

Once complete, “Uncover the slow cooker and use tongs to remove the chicken from the pot," d'Arabian says. "Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and shred, then return the meat to the pot. Stir in the juice of half a lemon. Crumble a few tortilla chips into each bowl and cover with some soup. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and grated cheese.”

Dessert gets a bad name when it comes to eating healthy, but it can prove healthy when carefully executed. Plus, if you’re looking for a healthy treat that will please the littles, giving them the chance to dip things in chocolate will do just that. This Chocolate Fondue comes from foodnetwork.com’s Ellie Krieger.

To begin creating your dessert, chop bananas, apples and strawberries. Sprinkle two teaspoons of orange juice over the top to keep fresh, and set them aside for dipping.

To create the fondue, in a medium saucepan whisk together 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder and 1/3 cup sugar. Gradually pour in 1/2 cup nonfat evaporated milk and whisk until paste consistency. Place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring continually, until simmering. Remove from the heat and whisk in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 ounces dark chocolate, and stir until the chocolate melts.

Finally, transfer the chocolate to a fondue pot to keep warm while your family enjoys a delectable fruit dipping experience.

Sinclair Broadcasting is committed to the health and well-being of our viewers, which is why we’re introducing Sinclair Cares. Every month we’ll bring you information about the “Cause of the Month,” including topical information, education, awareness and prevention.